The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1887-07-22
The Egis &Intelligencer
Bel Air, Md, July Is, 1887.
HARTFORD HISTORICAL soCIErY
Interesting I'apers Reno.

htefestinS hapers Read.
The Hartford Historical Society met at the
Court House, on Saturday. July li;th nr ~
stump Forwnod. President, was in the char
MT. y. Mccurdy presented copy OF the
.Ify1ra Hphbftcdh q July 80, J5i5. q copy OF the
New York Reader. No. g school book in yeneraI
uscG years ago; a pair OF iron-rimmed spec-
taeles. supposed 10 be 100 years old, which orr
Gnsny belonged TO Joseph Rogers, who gave
mem 10 his daughter, Sarah Rogers Mr. Me
Curdys great grandmother. Mr.. McCurdy also
presented some specimens Of fine granite from n
ta Vo On Mr I'LL HTsn A. Jones property, Laay
The Secretary presented from Mr. T. d. Cole
man stump piece OF the historic elm tree which
was recently cut down at tho site OF the city OF
81: Mary's and distributed as relies. This tree.
II known,wa large oncat the time Lord Balt-
more established his colony In Maryland in ilrl
sn that II must have been considerably over 9t9
years old when cut down.
DR.: John r. ouinan, Of baltimore, wa. elected
IN honorary member, and Messrs. s. ". Brad
ford and Frank Z. Gorreli active members
The President read letter from Miss Annie
WillouRhby. OF Philadelphia, asking informa-
ton about the Corse family.
The resignation OF Mr.. John silver Hughes.
who has removed to another State, was read and
laid on tho table.
AsKErCH or THOMAS CREsAp
DR.. Geo. W. Archer read an interesting and
valuable paper on Thomas Cresap and the border
troubles between Maryland and Pennsylvania
Thomas Cresap omlgratcl to America in l7ls.
when about 10 years OF age. from SEtpton, in
dhcn Baltimorej county, Md. near the mouth OF
the Susquehanna. and about 1I2i married Hannah
daughter Of Thomas johnson. Her brother,
Thomas johnson, Jr.. lived at Peach Bottom aud
owned Johnson's Island, in the river. Cresap
went to Virginia and rented farm, but refusing
to leave after being ordered to do by his neigh
bors, was attacked and after killing one aud
wounding several of his assailants he returned TO
Maryland and established ferry at the point
now called Lapidum. PenDsylvanians, about that
time, were encroaching on the territory claimed
by Lord Baltimore and driving away the Mary
land settlers. Cresap offered his services to Lord
pioneer subjects the rich
leys of York county which were within the lines
of the grant OF Lord Baltimore. His services
were accepted and he was given grant of sew
eral hundred acres. aud he and his three brothers.
in-law settled in the fertile Conejohea region.
opposite the present town of Washington. He
had numerous encounters with the Pennsylvau-
ians. While ferrying across the river two white
men and a negro he was attacked by them, over
island, from whence he was rescued by friendly
Indian. Cresap fortified himself with some
friends In his house, whore he successfully re
sisted an attack led by John Hendricks. Sheriff
of Lancaster county, killing one of assailantsand
driving the rest or. Various daring adventures
of Cresap are given by DR.. Archer in his paper
Cresap was finally captured by the Pennsylvania
authorities and taken to Philadelphia, where
the Maryland monster" The Pennsylvania au-
thorties wanted to get rid OF him, but like 81.
Paul he demanded trial but never got it and
after years Imprisonment yielded and returned
to Maryland, His wife and family had in the
meanwhile found q home in an Indian village OF
Codorus Creek. The King in 1877 ordered the
two Governors to suppress rioting on the border
and In 1913 a temporary line was agreed upon. Ia
1850 Mason and Dixon made the final adjustment,
though the occasional growl of an indignant
Marylander may be heard to this day.
In 173s Cresap removed with his family to Il
plantation of 1000 acres, in the valley of Coneco
cheague,in what Is now Washington county, given
to him by Lord Baltimore. Being unfortunate 10
business his plantation had to be given up for
debt and In 1T42 he removed to a point 80 miles
further west. on the north branch of the foto-
mac, about 10 miles southeast Of Cumberland,
which did not then exist. In l1iS he was en-
ployed by the Ohio company, through the intiu-
ence of the Washington family. This company
had grant of 100000 acres between the Kama
villa and Monongahela rivers. In 1851 CresRp,
who was also a surveyor, assisted Washington In
making the road through tho wilderness over
which Braddock's fated expedition passed the
next year, and led company Thu ough that mem
orabe war.
county (which then embraced the whole of
Western MarylandD in the provincial assembly.
lie was several times reelected, AT the age OF
80 he married q second time. At 90 he projected
an exploring expedition which he was to lead
TO the Pacific, but owing to some mitch i failed.
At 100 he visited Canada. At LOG he died, the
Methuselah of our pioneers.
,,IDr. Archer stated that he was indebted to DR..
Jno. X. Qunan, of Baltimore, and Mr. Samuel
Evans, Of Columbia, Pa, for material for hts
Mr. Luther NJ. Gorsuch of Baltimore city. form
eriy OF Hartford read an entertaining paper com
for 30 years, entitled "Reminiscences of Life in
Hartford sixty Years Ago"
A resolution, offered by Col. Herman Stump,
was adopted requesting the President to pub
lsh his sketch of the life of Junlus Brutus Booth
in book form, and recommending the members 10
procure subscriptions to the volume.
Mr.. David Il Harlan read q short paper descrip-
tive of the Yellowstone National Park and his
visit to IL.
Mr.. j. II. McCurdy read a valuable paper en-
titled an "Outline OF the Geological Structure of
Northern Hartford" Mr.. McCurdy was requested
TO repeat his paper at the meeting next October
with such additions as he may desire TO make.
DIR. Benz. Smith promised TO read a description
OF the shrike, or great American Butcher Bird,
OF which he has a specimen.